


Surfacing

by pollitt



Category: Castle
Genre: Episode Tag, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-25
Updated: 2011-01-25
Packaged: 2017-10-15 03:44:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/156700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pollitt/pseuds/pollitt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Ryans wobble but they don't fall down...</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Surfacing

**Author's Note:**

> Tag for ep 3.13 "Knockdown"

Before Kevin really starts to process what the hell just happened--but after giving his statement, answering the EMT’s questions about the time, the date, the president, his childhood, and pulling the scratchy shock blanket closer around his shoulders--Beckett’s standing at the back of the ‘bus looking at him and Javi with a smile on her face that he’s going to have to file for later review.

“They’ve given the okay for me to take you guys home,” she says, holding up her car keys.

Kevin shakes his head, clearing some water from his ears and trying to get his jumbled thoughts in some sort of order with only moderate success in both areas. Javi’s hand snakes out from under his own blanket and he touches the back of Kevin’s hand, just above an welt from where he’d been bound. “C’mon bro.”

His throat is sore, now that the adrenaline has worn off and his body is starting to catch up to fact that, hey, yeah, he was almost killed tonight. So Kevin just nods, turning his hand quickly to catch Javi’s, to give it a quick squeeze before they exit the ambulance and follow Beckett to her car, the shock blankets still around their shoulders.

Like the rest of the night--the part that started after Beckett and Castle had busted into the warehouse like the best superheroes ever and saved the day--the ride to Kevin’s apartment takes no time at all.

“Take care, you two,” Beckett says, turning to look at the back seat.

“Thanks, Beckett,” Javi says, reaching forward and grasping her shoulder. He offers his hand to Castle. “You too, Castle.”

“Thanks for saving the day,” Kevin adds before they’re out of the car and into his apartment building, up the elevator and at his front door.

“My clothes are still wet,” Kevin says as he reaches in his pocket to find his apartment keys.

“Yeah well let’s get you inside and out of them asap.”

“Why Detective Esposito.” Kevin smiles. The smile falters a little when he reaches to unlock the door. His hands just won’t stop shaking.

“Kevin,” Javi says quietly, taking the keys with far steadier hands and unlocks the door.

Once inside, once the door is shut, Javi throws the locks and has his arms wrapped around Kevin like he was the one who was drowning and Kevin was a lifeline.

“I’m still wet,” Kevin says, as though Javi can’t feel the cold damp cloth in his arms, but Javi doesn’t let go and Kevin has his arms wrapped around Javi just as tightly.

Javi is saying things, words, quietly under his breath, his lips brushing against Kevin’s temple, and Kevin turns his head to try and catch the words. He sees the angry red lines from where the ropes had been around Javi’s neck, as he had to watch that assclown push Kevin’s head under the water, made him breathe in the burning cold liquid.

Kevin presses his lips against the marks, whispering his own words and promises.

When a shiver runs down his spine, Kevin feels Javi’s laugh, can hear the quiet exhale of air. Javi’s breath is warm on Kevin’s ear as he says, “About those clothes.”

“I tried to warn you.”

They pull apart slowly and as they do, Javi brushes a soft kiss on the side of Kevin’s mouth. “I don’t always think clearly when it comes to you.”

Kevin feels a smile--a real one--pull at his mouth. If he leans forward, if he kisses Javi, they’ll never make it to the bed, to warm clothes and to sleep (and then to tomorrow morning and an infinite number of possibilities). But on the other hand, he can’t not lean forward and kiss Javi. “I know the feeling.”

 

oo--oo--oo

 **And the coda to the coda**

They do make it to the bedroom, and into warm clothes. And when Javi curls protectively around Kevin like he’s the last best line of defense against the world, Kevin laces his fingers with Javi’s, closes his eyes and sleeps.


End file.
